I got cited my freshman year for underage drinking in a dorm but nothing has happened since. How frequent is it for schools to ask if you've ever gotten into any trouble in college. If it is pretty frequent, would an incident that small have any negative effect in acceptance?

Every law school asks for it and every character and fitness application to the Bar asks for it.

Rest assured, underage drinking in a dorm will not keep you from attending law school or from sitting for the Bar. The purpose of the question is to find the people who were disciplined/suspended/expelled from their undergraduate schools for plaigairism, cheating, or other acts of moral turpitude that would raise red flags with the Bar.

bankruptedcasino wrote:Every law school asks for it and every character and fitness application to the Bar asks for it.

Rest assured, underage drinking in a dorm will not keep you from attending law school or from sitting for the Bar. The purpose of the question is to find the people who were disciplined/suspended/expelled from their undergraduate schools for plaigairism, cheating, or other acts of moral turpitude that would raise red flags with the Bar.

Some schools require you to submit a dean's certification upon applying if you check yes to this and others require it after you submit a deposit if you check yes, but in either case its nothing more than a small inconvenience.

Some schools require you to submit a dean's certification upon applying if you check yes to this and others require it after you submit a deposit if you check yes, but in either case its nothing more than a small inconvenience.

lambert8 wrote:I got cited my freshman year for underage drinking in a dorm but nothing has happened since. How frequent is it for schools to ask if you've ever gotten into any trouble in college. If it is pretty frequent, would an incident that small have any negative effect in acceptance?

It won't be a big deal. They will ask, but a lot of people have small infractions like you have. Don't worry about it, just don't lie about it.

Guys, thanks for the help, it certainly relieved some stress. Just curious...what did you put down in your accompanying letter. Did you just say what happened, or did you get into some detail about how it may have helped you learn something, turned it into a positive, etc? Thanks.

lambert8 wrote:Guys, thanks for the help, it certainly relieved some stress. Just curious...what did you put down in your accompanying letter. Did you just say what happened, or did you get into some detail about how it may have helped you learn something, turned it into a positive, etc? Thanks.

just say what happened. if there was some kind of penance, like community service or alcohol abuse class or whatever, say that you completed that.

lambert8 wrote:Guys, thanks for the help, it certainly relieved some stress. Just curious...what did you put down in your accompanying letter. Did you just say what happened, or did you get into some detail about how it may have helped you learn something, turned it into a positive, etc? Thanks.

essentially, yes. but keep it really brief. its not like an essay or anything. just simply explain you suffered a lapse of judgment and have moved on

The first week of my freshman year at X University in 2008 I had a lapse in judgment and was cited for underage drinking in a dormitory. I was ordered to pay a $50 fine and participate in an Educational Sanction detailing the negative effects of alcohol. I matured through this experience and learned a valuable lesson in responsibility. I have not been cited for any violations since that lone incident.

The first week of my freshman year at X University in 2008 I had a lapse in judgment and was cited for underage drinking in a dormitory. I was ordered to pay a $50 fine and participate in an Educational Sanction detailing the negative effects of alcohol. I matured through this experience and learned a valuable lesson in responsibility. I have not been cited for any violations since that lone incident.I'm a raging alcoholic.

The first week of my freshman year at X University in 2008 I had a lapse in judgment and was cited for underage drinking in a dormitory. I was ordered to pay a $50 fine and participate in an Educational Sanction detailing the negative effects of alcohol. I matured through this experience and learned a valuable lesson in responsibility. I have not been cited for any violations since that lone incident.